“No Official Price Increase!” — NALPGAM Clarifies Cause Of Rising Cooking Gas Costs

According to Ireporter Online, the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has attributed the recent surge in the cost of cooking gas across the country to the exploitative activities of middlemen, describing the development as an “artificially induced” price hike.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, NALPGAM’s National President, Oladapo Olatunbosun, clarified that there has been no official increase in the ex-depot or retail price of cooking gas. He emphasized that the current price fluctuation is being driven by opportunistic marketers exploiting temporary supply shortages.

This development follows the industrial dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery, which led to a sharp rise in refilling costs — from around ₦1,700–₦2,000 per kilogram in most areas to as high as ₦3,000 in some locations. The price escalation has also triggered sporadic scarcity in major cities.

Olatunbosun expressed concern that certain traders were taking undue advantage of the market situation to make excessive profits, insisting that such practices are unacceptable to the Association. He assured Nigerians that the supply situation will stabilize soon.

“I sympathize with Nigerians because we never intended to have a situation like this,” he stated. “Prices of cooking gas have not officially increased. What we are witnessing is the handiwork of a few marketers capitalizing on temporary shortages and increased demand. As an Association, we frown at this behavior and are optimistic that normalcy will return in the coming days.”